Collin College is taking steps to prevent
heart attack deaths on campus by buying defibrillators, instruments
which provide a shock of electricity to an individual undergoing cardiac
arrest.

About 250,000 die of cardiac arrest a year, according to the American Heart
Association (AHA). "Life-threatening emergencies can happen at any time,”
Wellness Program Coordinator Dr. Linda Adams said. “Published studies have
proven that early defibrillation, within the first few minutes of a heart
attack can save up to 30 percent of victims. It is important to the safety
of all employees and students at Collin to have (these instruments) on each
campus.”

The college also hosts AHA-administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
with defibrillator classes periodically.

The defibrillators, currently located at the Spring Creek, Preston Ridge,
Central Park and Courtyard Center campuses, are fully automated in that all
the user has to do is take it out and place the pads on the patient’s chest.
The machine does all the rest.

The course incorporates all of this as it teaches when to apply the
defibrillator, what the instrument does and how it helps the patient.

The defibrillators can be found at the fitness center desks at the Spring
Creek, Central Park and Preston Ridge campuses, and between the third floor
elevators at the Courtyard Center.

CPR-with-defibrillator classes at Collin are free and available on a
first-come, first-serve basis. Future classes are planned through the staff
development division. Visit its website at
www.collin.edu/facultydevelopment/.